Thursday, 31 July 2014

Tears, and Anger, as Militants Destroy Iraq City’s Relics

The angry public reaction to the attacks on Mosul’s cultural history — including the eviction of Christians by militants, which outraged many Muslim residents who celebrate Mosul’s reputation for tolerance — appears to be the first spark of rebellion against harsh Islamic rule. [...] It is too early to declare that a wide-scale rebellion is underway, or that ISIS, whose brand of ascetic Islamic law deems shrines heretical, is losing its grip of control on the city. But it suggests that the militants are wearing out their welcome to some degree.
Informal armed gangs of residents have already clashed with ISIS militants over the destruction of the tombs and shrines, residents say. Some militants have been killed in the clashes, they say, which have also led to the arrests of residents and could result in their executions.

What do you mean by that? Some Evangelical churches consider displaying the Cross a denial of the resurrection, mural and sculpted decoration in churches were and are considered sacrilege - not to mention cults of the relics and saints. The shrines of Catholic saints were smashed as idolatrous in Reformation Europe in the same way (and for the same reasons) as ISIS is doing now. It is precisely from such background that the New England Puritans came (Calvinists weren't they?). Akhenaton's agents cleansed temple reliefs of sacrilegious references to gods other than Aten, and then Ramesside agents put them back.

When post-communist governments came to power in my country, the FIRST thing they did, before economic and social reform, was to get rid of the symbols of the Communist state from the public space - sometimes in a very demonstrative manner. In Ukraine last year (only) we saw widespread toppling of Lenin statues - is that a manifestation of "ignorance"?

I do not think any of these people are/were "ignorant". If the Word of God says that you shall not make images and worship them, those ignorant and careless of the Word of God do, and those who make the scripture and belief central to their life want to follow the letter of the divine law. What problem do you have with people making religion and adherence to sacred law and sacred duty the centre of their life Mr Burchard? When does one stop trying to force one's values on others from different cultures?

In response to what you wrote beliefs of any of the religion are not at question, but in the case of Afghanistan and Iraq minority sects and foreign invaders are forcing their beliefs on the culture of others by doing this.

If one has a belief and they are in a museum or someone's house or in public and destroy a graven image that is not a demonstration of cultural freedom, but of an attack on society.

And whether their interpretation of "the Word of God" is correct or not who can say, everyone has different beliefs and falls onto different locations within their own belief system.

Regardless of the ideology behind the destruction of these works I don't anyone will convince me that its acceptable in any time, culture, or society. Why do you we have less than 10 Greek bronzes left?

I really don't talking about this any further will yield anything of value to anyone, but if you can send me information on the Apollo Sauroktonos that would be welcomed.

In answer to the first question, no. I explain why in the answer to your 'comment'.

"Attack on society"? Did you think through what I replied? Take Mr Hobby Lobby Green, he buys papyri from dissolved ancient artefacts because he wants to "save America". I see no difference between this and Moslems doing the same.

About Me

British archaeologist living and working in Warsaw, Poland. Since the early 1990s (or even longer) a primary interest has been research on artefact hunting and collecting and the market in portable antiquities in the international context and their effect on the archaeological record.

Abbreviations used in this blog

"coiney" - a term I use for private collector of dug up ancient coins, particularly a member of the Moneta-L forum or the ACCG

"heap-of-artefacts-on-a-table-collecting" the term rather speaks for itself, an accumulation of loose artefacts with no attempt to link each item with documented origins. Most often used to refer to metal detectorists (ice-cream tubs-full) and ancient coin collectors (Roman coins sold in aggregated bulk lots)